Improvement in wool-presses



provements in wool- 5, an end view UNITED STATES PATE IMPROVEMENT IN WOOL-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,?79, dated October 16, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit-known that I, SOLON COOLEY, of Oakwood, in the county of Oakland and State of l\lichigan,have invented new and useful Improvements in Wool-Presses, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference heilig had to the 'accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention consists, principally, in a novel construction and arrangement of the press whereby, after the ileece has been pressed therein, it can be securely bound or tied before removing it from the press, and without relieving the pressure upon it; also in the use, in combination with the sides of the press-box, of a follower of such a construction and arrangement that it will hold itselt at any degree ot' depression to which, by means of weight, it may have been brought to bear against the wool.

In accompanying plate of drawings my impresses are illustrated, Figure l being a plan or top view ot' the press with the sides swung down, Fig. 2, a plan or top View of the press with its sides swung up; Fig. 3, a central longitudinal vertical section, taken in the plane ofthe linexx, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section, taken in the plane ofthe line g/ y, Fig. 2; Fig. of a bale of wool pressed in my improved press; Fig. G, a detail view.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Ain the drawings represents the bottom boards of the press, to the sides of which are hinged the side and end pieces or boards, B B, and C (l, of the press-box, so that they can be swung' up or down, the sides and ends, when in a vertical position, forming a perfect squareshaped box, in which position they are secured by means ot' hooks D I), hung upon one side piece and interlocking with the notch a in the other, extending across the width ot' the box outside C G.

The bottom boa-rd, A, of the press-box has a series of grooves, b b and c c, extending' entirely of the upper ends of the end boards,

across its width in both directions andat right angles to each other, continuations ot' which grooves are made in the forni of slots d and 7" in both the side and end boards, B B and C C, of the box, which slots, when the side and end boards are swung up into avertical position, extend in directions at right angles to the grooves in the bottom board, A.

Upon the inside face, at the center of each end piece C of the box, and in a vertical direction, are secured toothed or ratchet rackA barsv F F, one to each end board, with the teeth of which engage the spring-arms G upon the upper side of the follower H, made ot'suitable size to tit within the pressbox, as such follower is depressed or pressed down by weighting it in any suitable manner, thereby prevent ing the follower from rising or being lifted until said arms are disengaged by the swinging down of the end pieces, or in any other' proper manner.

The use of my improved press, constructed and arranged as above described, is as follows: First, place the iieece upon the bottom board of the press, when roll it up upon each side, and then raise the side boards, B B, sccuring them in position by properly fastening either one of the two hooks D over and across from one tothe other; then roll up either one of the two ends of the iieece, and,swingingup the end board at such end, the proper hook D is fastened across from one side of the press to the other, to hohl the end board in such position, when the other-end of the fleece is rolled up and its end board swung up and secured as explained for the opposite end. The follower is then placed in the top ot` the box, and weighted in any suitable manner, so as to press down the tleece'with any desired degree of pressure, its spring-arms, by interlocking with the rack-bars of theend boards, preventing the follower from moving upward, and thus holdingit in its depressed position, when the cords which are to be used to bind the compressed iieece being drawn through the grooves in the bottom board of the press, are then passed up and around one side and end of the bale through the grooves gg in the under side of the follower, and down the opposite side and end, where, meeting the other ends of the cords, they are tied together and the sides B B, and ends C G, as constructed 1 about the bale, rmly und tightly binding the .with the follower H, springerms G G, meksame together 5 after which the sidesvand ends bars F, and hooks D D, substantially as and are swung down, relieving the follower and for the purpose herein specified.

leavina the bale free to be removed at pleasr me D y SOLON COOLEX.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- Witnesses: ters Patent- W. L. BAINES, The arrangement of the bottom board, A, E. BARLING. 

